Assessing gaps in employer-offered clinical services for prevention and management of chronic disease in San Diego County

Background

Worksite wellness programs are important strategies to improve access to and increase use of clinical preventive services among working adults. As part of the County of San Diego’s Community Transformation Grant (CTG) worksite wellness initiative, an assessment of worksite wellness policies and programming was conducted to examine gaps in clinical preventive services offered by employers in San Diego County.

Methods

Human resources managers were surveyed on worksite wellness strategies related to health screenings and disease management, health insurance coverage, and other areas including tobacco control, physical activity, and nutrition. Additional questions included organizational support for worksite wellness, employer attitudes towards the benefits of wellness programs, and organizational readiness to explore wellness activities.

Results

Surveys were completed for 120 employers between July and September of 2013. Although 98% reported that insurance coverage included clinical preventive services, only 70-73% reported providing adequate coverage for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and lung disease prevention and rehabilitation services. Between 54% and 61% reported providing access to yearly individual health risk appraisals and screenings for BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes and only 40% reported providing lifestyle counseling and follow-up monitoring for employees with chronic conditions.

Conclusions

Assessment results indicated potential opportunities for employers to increase employee access to clinical preventive services for chronic disease. Through CTG, employers will be offered technical assistance to improve their employee health benefits and worksite wellness programming to include access to high-value clinical preventive services and also to promote awareness and encourage use of these services among employees.